An exploration of physical violence at a secondary school in Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

Over the past years scholarly authors have focused on school violence in general with its specific focus to the contributing factors. However, studies have ignored to look physical violence as a specific phenomenon with regards to learner on learner physical violence in secondary school. The study was aimed to explore perceptions, experiences on physical violence and to give a better understanding of contributing factors to physical violence at two selected high schools with particular reference to those who witnessed violence as well as those who were victims of physical violence within the school environment. Findings have shown that a school does not exist in a vacuum but is part of the broader society in which it is situated. Moreover, a school that is situated in community that is plagued in high rates of violence is more probable to experience incidents of school physical violence. Learners suffer from a number of different psychological and physical effects due to their exposure to violence on a regular basis. This research was conducted at Intshisekelo Secondary School in the Inanda area in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Inanda is well known for community violence and the high rates of crime in the area. Reportedly, many learners in this school exhibit behavioural problems that are, in particular, due to that they are exposed to the physical violence in their community in which they live.